Region punches well over weight

It was a National Water Skiing Championship for Northland to remember, with the region claiming the teams title for the first time in 20 years.
 Northland Water Skiing president Glen Williams said winning the teams title at the New Zealand championships, held in Wanganui over Easter was a huge achievement for only a minor water skiing region.
"It is only the third time Northland have won this title - we won in 1987, 1990 and this year.
"Auckland have dominated the championships throughout its 51-year history, followed by Canterbury and Waikato, so we have done pretty well as one of the more minor regions."

Toni Atkinson, who trains at Hikurangi's Jordan Valley, provided one of the biggest upsets of the competition when she won the open women's slalom despite heading into the event ranked only fifth.
"It's very hard to qualify for the open event, so to win it is huge," Williams said about the 18-year-old's achievement.
After an impressive season, Atkinson was included in the New Zealand Senior Water Skiing Team, along with her brother, Cole Atkinson, to contest the Asian Australasian Oceania Regional Championships, in Indonesia during October.
Northland's juniors were outstanding at the championships, with Kauri's Jake Weller collecting the under-10 slalom title and Curtis Williams taking out the boys under-14 honours.
Curtis Williams' national title capped a good season for the 12-year-old, who finished third in his division when he represented New Zealand in a transTasman contest against Australia in January.
North Shore-based Aaron Baldwin, 16, who also trains at Jordan Valley, was crowned the under-17 national champion and was selected, along with younger brother Ryan, to compete for New Zealand's under-17 team, in August at the World Junior Championships, in Italy.
"It's been 15 years since we have had someone in the team, and the first time Northland have made up half the team
 (of four competitors) - so we have done really well," Williams said.
To win the teams event overall, Northland needed to produce good results across the age groups and the contingent did not disappoint.
Bernadine Patterson cleaned up in the open women's B division, while Rhys Williams was equally successful in the men's open B section.

Glen Williams proved he still had the winning touch, taking out the mens over-35 age-group.
Kamo's Sarah Wainwright was the women's champion in the same age-group, equalling her national record in the slalom during the event.